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In our experience, there are two types of people in this world: Those who spend weeks planning their month-long Halloween festivities (complete with a big bash, plenty of horror movies, and several over-the-top costumes) and those who wait until the last-minute to decide what they'll wear—or if they'll even dress up. Regardless of where you fall, though, there's one accessory that both camps can get behind: A Halloween-inspired manicure.
That's because Halloween nail ideas range from seriously spirited to subtle and simple. Looking for the former? Take advantage of the virtually endless number of nail art ideas and choose a detailed design that incorporates classic motifs (like sparkly pumpkins, spider-webbed tips, cute little ghosts) or something super scary (such as oozing blood drips or a spooky, graveyard scene). Want something a bit more understated? In that case, focus on ideas that are all about nail color and pick something with a cool Halloween-themed palette (think: orange, black, purple, and green).
Best of all, no matter which way you go, you can easily DIY many of these nail ideas, especially with a little help from fall nail stickers and press-ons. And, as always, if you prefer the salon experience—whether that's because you like the longevity of dip powder, the durability of acrylics, or those extremely relaxing massage chairs—you can also show these to your manicurist for inspiration.
Ahead, we've rounded up Halloween nail ideas that are so good you might not even need a costume.
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1
A Floral Halloween
Nail artist Nina Park adds in little floral accents to her pumpkin, bats, and ghost-adorned mani for a cute take on the Halloween theme.
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2
Black and White Ghosts
Recreate London-based nail artist Shannon Elias's simple but effective glossy ghost look that's just the right amount of spooky.
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Paint on a mix of black and white polish, and then you cango crazy adding pumpkin, bats, spiders and cat stickers for a Halloween manicure that hits all the right themes.
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4
Dainty Spiderwebs
Halloween, but make it chic. These cute, easy spiderwebs by editorial manicurist Rita Remark are perfect for those who want to celebrate, but would prefer to keep things simple.
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5
Wonder Woman
Wonder woman to the rescue! You don't have to be a professional nail artist to get this superhero inspired look by Arselia. Press on nails will give you a similar yet equally empowering manicure in a jiffy.
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6
Glittery Ghosts
Instead of a traditional white ghost, liven up your nails like Hawaii-based nail artist Asami, by creating shimmery apparitions.
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7
Old School Tattoo Nails
Think outside the traditional Halloween, err, coffin, with this old school tattoo-themed nail art by Emily Isabella that could work with a variety of costumes—or just on their own!
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8
Geometric Shapes
Want just a hint of Halloween? Utah-based nail technician Liz Henson's geometric orange black and white look will do the trick. To ensure that crisp clean look, lay down some tape first.
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9
Cool Cats and Kittens
Going with a feline-theme this year? Try this bright orange tiger-striped look to match your nails to your costume. Juli, the nail artist who created this look, has a quick video tutorial to help you expertly swipe on those tiger stripes.
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10
Glow-in-the-Dark
Going to a Halloween party at night? Glow-in-the-dark nails, like this look created by nail artist KreationsbyKiKi, makes a simple statement.
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11
Golden Pumpkins
Perfect for those who want a Halloween manicure that's also fit for the fall season, these golden pumpkins (paired with a dark red) by nail tech Liz Henson is giving us all the autumnal vibes.
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12
Midnight Sky
Are you into darker, moodier colors? Do as nail artist Chloee did and let the moons, stars, (and bats!) of the nighttime sky inspire your Halloween mani this year.
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13
Color Pop Art
Do a colorful drippy tip, with pumpkins, ghosts, and decorative stars for this fun manicure by nail artist Nina Park. Don't think you can freehand paint the little designs? Don't sweat it, there are nail stickers for that.
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14
Chrome Spiderweb Nails
Go chrome or go home! Take inspiration from nail artist Lauren VonLipstick who painted black spiderwebs on top of chrome nail polish for superhero vibes.
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Recreate the trendy evil eye manicure all by yourselffor Halloween this year. These easy decals work on bare nails, or on top of apolish of your choice. Just make sure to top with a clear coat so that they last a long time.
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16
Dark Flames
These dark chocolate brown flames created by nail artist Lauren VonLipstick may be even more ominous than their fiery orange and red counterparts.
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17
Pumpkin Orange
Freehand nail artist Gracie creates this swirly orange-and-pink inspired look, with a big pumpkin accent nail to solidify the Halloween theme.
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18
Graveyard Scene
Recreate a spooky graveyard scene from every horror movie. Nail artist Gracie has a video tutorial showing how she did the manicure by hand, but if you're not an artist yourself, there are easy stencils that will help you out!
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19
Slime Green
Halloween is a time to break out those colors you might not normally wear—like this glittery slime green that nail artist Marilynn uses as the base for her decorated trick-or-treat nails.
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Not looking to go all out spooky, but still want to feel on theme for Halloween? Use thishypnotic Tim Burton-inspirednail stencil for a design that'lllook just as good the day after. For something a bit more subtle, use shades of black, white, and gray.
